CINCINNATI — People living in a Hartwell apartment building said they don't feel safe after learning that they'd been living on top of asbestos for years.
The asbestos was removed from the basement laundry room of Congress Run Apartments on West Galbraith Road last week, but tenants said they weren't given any prior notice about the work being done.
Tenant Jaquelyn Bines said she only learned about the asbestos removal because she works from home. She lives directly above where the cancer-causing substance was found.
"Usually when it's being removed, I don't think anybody was supposed to be in the building," she said.
The workers left up a sign that stated no one should go into the basement for 24 hours. So Bines said she was shocked to find the front and back doors left wide open the next morning.
"We have a lot of children in this building — some people just had a newborn — so I feel that is something that you should've informed everyone about," she said.
Bines shared an email from the property manager explaining that the contractors were removing layers of tile, stating that they'd be fine as long as they were not disturbed. The asbestos was never airborne and there was never any immediate danger, the email states.
While asbestos was removed from one of the Congress Run building basements, there are two other buildings in the complex.
CMC Properties, which manages the apartment complex, declined to comment on work being done in the other buildings. They insist the environment is safe.
